Today, nearly half of the country is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The storm's path of destruction has affected more than 50 million people in 23 states. According to some government estimates, Hurricane Sandy's winds were responsible for more than $7 billion in damages and economic loss.

“For many people, dealing with the clean-up is the worst part,” said Nick Friedman, president of College Hunks Hauling Junk, a franchise junk removal company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. “Regardless of the type of storm, hurricane, Nor'easter, tornado—or a devastating combination like Sandy—they leave behind flood waters, broken tree limbs, shattered glass and a tremendous amount of debris.”

College Hunks Hauling Junk offers these clean-up tips:

1. Stay away from damaged buildings or structures until they've been deemed safe by a building inspector.
2. Leave immediately if you hear shifting or unusual noises that signal that the structure may fall or if you smell gas or suspect a leak.
3. Before you begin cleaning up, take inventory with a camera so you have documentation for any insurance or other damage claims.
4. Do not work alone. Use teams of two or more people to move heavy objects.
5. Wear hard hats, goggles, heavy work gloves and watertight boots with steel toes for clean-up work. This is especially important if sewage has seeped into the building.
6. Open interior doors with caution - doors that stick at the top could indicate a ceiling ready to fall.
7. Scrub all interior surfaces that were in contact with floodwaters with bleach or a household disinfectant containing bleach.
8. Remember that professional services are available to help you in this time of need. Do avoid fly-by-night contractors and instead, use reputable companies.

“The teams at our local College Hunks Hauling Junk franchises are available to assist in everything from downed branches to flood-damaged furniture and belongings,” said Friedman.
“Getting back to normal will take some time, but we are here to make it as stress-free as possible.”

According to the company's CEO and Co-Founder, Omar Soliman, “We're generally a pretty light-hearted company, but this is serious. The magnitude of the storm, the damage it caused, and the lives it affected are all serious matters. And we're here to offer some serious help.”